The HPS Laboratory Accreditation Program
F.M. Cummings (Idaho National Laboratory)
The Health Physics Society Laboratory Accreditation Program (LAP) accredits (1) companies that provide calibrations for health physics instruments and (2) companies that manufacture radioactive sources. The LAP is operated through the cooperation of the HPS Secretariat, Laboratory Accreditation Policy Committee (labs) and the Laboratory Accreditation Assessment Committee (LAAC). Companies desiring accreditation apply to the HPS Secretariat using forms on the HPS Website. After review by the LAP Technical Director, the application is forwarded to the LAAC. Assessors, who serve on the LAAC, travel to the applicant's site to assess the applicant's compliance with quality assurance requirements in the HPS Accreditation Handbook and to evaluate the technical competence of the applicant using the requirements in the HPS Accreditation Handbook. Based on the findings of the assessment and the results of the proficiency test, the LAAC may recommend accreditation for the applicant. The HPS Secretariat grants accreditation to qualifying companies based on the recommendations of the LAAC. The labs sets policy, considers new programs and coordinates the documentation for the program. Documentation for the program exists in a Program Quality Manual, Program Handbooks (for instrument calibrations and source manufacturing) and in Program Operating Procedures. Training for new assessors and retraining for experienced assessors is conducted by the Technical Director every two years as part of the Professional Enrichment Program at the annual HPS meeting.